Record paper form sales despite online option

Despite the controversy it has found itself in regarding the four-year undergraduate programme (FYUP), Delhi University saw a record sale of forms on the first day of application on Wednesday.

On Day One of its admission season, the university sold a total of 42,860 over-the-counter forms as opposed to the 30,250 forms sold last year. More online applications, too, were filed this year: From 2,500 in 2012, the number went up to 7,385.

Colleges affiliated to Delhi University offer 54,000 seats in 37 courses. In the past few years, the university has been receiving over one lakh admission applications.

On Wednesday, serpentine lines were seen at Faculty of Arts where 9031 forms were sold - the highest among all 18 university centres. Though multiple counters were open, there were long queues due to the sheer number of students present. Not more than two forms were being given to one person at one time.

A group of students from the National Students Union of India (NSUI), meanwhile, were seen protesting against the university's policy of not giving a student a second form at a lower cost.

"If a student makes a mistake, he/she will have to buy another form for Rs 100. We want them to be given a form for Rs 20," said Amrish Ranjan Pandey, member, NSUI.

Amid the crowd was a large group of demonstrators belonging to various students and teachers organizations, protesting against the FYUP.

"Even though the admission procedure has started, we will still protest till the authorities agree to revise the structure of the new scheme. It is not student-friendly," said Sunny Kumar, Secretary of All India Students' Association (AISA).

As compared to North Campus, crowd at colleges in south Delhi was quite small. At Delhi University's South campus, lines were relatively short and moved swiftly.

Many students and parents were not aware of the online application form or chose to fill the physical forms fearing technical glitches or errors.